Ireland 17

USA 14

A BRILLIANT TRY by Terry Kennedy with the last play of the game sent the Ireland men’s 7s team into the fifth-place play-off at the Olympics in Paris.

Ireland’s 17-14 win over the US means they will face New Zealand in the battle for fifth spot this evening at Stade de France [KO 5.30pm Irish time].

James Topping’s men suffered the disappointment of a quarter-final loss to Fiji on Thursday so had to lift themselves for this afternoon’s play-off clash with USA.

Ireland scored straight from receiving the kick-off, surging upfield before Olympics debutant Sean Cribbin – called into the squad in place of the injured Jordan Conroy – freed Hugo Lennox with a clever inside pass, Lennox converting his own try.

Ireland had to defend for most of the rest of the first half, Cribbin earning a breakdown turnover before a remarkable effort from captain Harry McNulty to force a counter-ruck turnover and then swiftly pull off a brilliant try-saving tackle and breakdown poach.

But the Irish resistance was cracked when Aaron Cummings broke past Lennox’s tackle attempt wide on the left, with Steve Tomasin converting impressively for a 7-7 scoreline at half time.

Harry McNulty and Hugo Lennox. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Inaccuracy in attack from Ireland was the story of the opening two minutes of the second half and their discipline slipped as they had to go on the defensive again, eventually getting punished when Perry Baker slipped through Zac Ward’s tackle to finish.

Ward nabbed a try back for Ireland from a clever five-metre lineout play by Ireland but Mark Roche’s conversion attempt was wide.

But Ireland had one last chance to win it after getting a penalty straight from the restart.

They could have kicked for posts but opted for a scrum instead and it was the talismanic Kennedy who did the business, sweeping from right to left, dummying, and backing his pace to surge over for the winning score. 

Written by Murray Kinsella and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.